Conventionally, there have been game apparatus in which actions of game objects are controlled by operating button switches, e.g., by simultaneously or sequentially depressing button switches or by repeatedly depressing a button switch. For example, a soccer game apparatus including button switches, such as A button, B button, L button, R button, a cross key, a start button, a select button, etc., is disclosed by the instruction manual of “GAMEBOY ADVANCE J.LEAGUE Winning Eleven ADVANCE 2002”, issued by Konami Corp., Oct. 10, 2002, pp. 10-14 (hereinafter, referred to as “Non-Patent Document 1”). In this game apparatus, as disclosed on pages 10-14 of Non-Patent Document 1, a character that is operated by the player acts in various ways including dribbling, passing, centering, shooting, tackling, sliding, etc. Moreover, there are numerous variations in each type of action. For example, there are various types of passes, e.g., “short pass”, “long pass”, “through-pass”, “fly through-pass”, “one-two pass”, “fly one-two pass”, etc. While the character that is operated by the player acts in various ways, there are only a small number of button switches which can be used to control the action of the game object. Accordingly, this game apparatus is configured such that a number of actions can be selected by simultaneously or sequentially depressing a plurality of button switches or by repeatedly depressing a button switch. For example, a long pass is made by repeatedly depressing the B button, a through-pass is made by simultaneously depressing the A button and the B button, a fly through-pass is made by simultaneously depressing the L button, A button, and B button, a one-two pass is made by simultaneously depressing the L button and B button, and a fly one-two pass is made by repeatedly depressing the B button with L button depressed.
Also, a fighting game apparatus including A button, B button, X button, Y button, a cross key, a control stick, etc., is disclosed by the instruction manual of “NINTENDO GAMECUBE SOUL CALIBER II”, issued by Namko Ltd., Mar. 27, 2003, pp. 47-55 (hereinafter, referred to as “Non-Patent Document 2”). In this game apparatus, as disclosed on pages 47-55 of Non-Patent Document 2, a number of characters are configured, and a number of martial art techniques are set for each character. For example, in the case of a character named “Raphael Sorel”, in order to use a technique called “Rapid Tack Plus”, a control stick (or a cross key) must be pressed to the right and B button repeatedly depressed three times. Also, in order to use a technique called “Serpentine”, the A button must be depressed, the control stick (or the cross key) down must be pressed down, and then the A button must be depressed again.
In the game apparatus disclosed by Non-Patent Document 1, in order to control the action of the game object so as to act in various ways, it may be necessary to memorize a significant number of operation patterns of simultaneous and sequential depressing of buttons. Even if it is possible to memorize a large number of operation patterns, it may be difficult to perform various patters of simultaneously or sequentially depressing buttons during actual gameplay.
Accordingly, in the game apparatus disclosed by Non-Patent Document 1, those who can spend a long time enjoying gameplay are better able to perform all the actions, and those who cannot spend a long time (i.e., light users, etc.) may only be able to perform a small number of actions For example, in the soccer game disclosed by Non-Patent Document 1, in the situation where a fly one-two pass is effective, a player who has not mastered how to make such a pass might only be able to make a one-two pass.
Also, in the game apparatus disclosed by Non-Patent Document 2, it is necessary to memorize a number of operation patterns in order to appropriately control the action of the game object in various ways. In particular, those who are not familiar with the game and have memorized only the operation patterns for a few specific techniques are typically only able to use such techniques as they have memorized.